Revision 2: Availability of the Reactor Vessel Integrity Database, Version 2

UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001

July 26, 1999

NRC ADMINISTRATIVE LETTER 95-03, REVISION 2:

AVAILABILITY OF THE REACTOR VESSEL INTEGRITY DATABASE, VERSION 2

Addressees

All holders of operating licenses for nuclear power reactors.

Purpose

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this administrative letter to inform addressees of the availability of Version 2 of the Reactor Vessel Integrity Database (RVID). This administrative letter does not transmit or imply any new or changed requirements or staff positions. No specific action or written response is required.

Background

As a result of the NRC's review of nuclear power reactor licensee responses to Generic Letter (GL) 92-01, Revision 1, "Reactor Vessel Structural Integrity," the staff developed a comprehensive database summarizing the properties of reactor vessel beltline materials for each operating U.S. nuclear power plant (data for plants that are subsequently shut down are retained in the database). This database is known as the RVID. The original database (issued in July 1995) was developed as a DOS-based application using FoxPro™ software and was made available to reactor licensees and the public. A revised version of the database was issued on the World Wide Web in June 1996. The database has been enhanced and is now released as Version 2 (RVID 2), a Windows 3.1 native application based on Microsoft Access 2.0™. The database runs in the higher Windows environments as well (i.e., Windows 95, Windows NT). The user is not required to have Microsoft Access™ in order to run the database.

On the basis of NRC staff reviews of several licensee reactor pressure vessel integrity evaluations, it became apparent that no single organization had access to all relevant data. As a result, GL 92-01, Revision 1, Supplement 1, was issued to gather additional data, with the intent of making the data publicly available. Other source documents were reviewed by the NRC staff for pertinent data and information, including surveillance capsule reports, documents referenced in the GL 92-01 submittals and, as applicable, pressurized thermal shock (PTS) submittals, pressure-temperature (P-T) limits reports, and responses to NRC staff requests for additional information. The development of the RVID 2, therefore, is based on licensee responses to GL 92-01, Revision 1; GL 92-01, Revision 1, Supplement 1; and the source documents just noted.

9907200193

 

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AL 95-03, Rev. 2
July 26, 1999
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Discussion

RVID 2 has three tables for each plant: a PTS summary table for pressurized-water reactors or a P-T limits summary table for boiling-water reactors, an upper-shelf energy summary table, and a surveillance data summary table. The surveillance data summary table is a new feature of the database. As a result of comments received from the industry, the staff revised the RVID to include reference fields at the component level with notes that are specific to the particular forging, plate, or weld. In addition, RVID 2 has the capability to apply the Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.99, Revision 2, ratio procedure to the calculation of the chemistry factor. The database can also automatically determine the credibility of surveillance data in accordance with the scatter credibility criterion in RG 1.99, Revision 2, and Section 50.61 of Part 50 to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR 50.61). Other enhancements were made to the RVID 2 in order to make it more comprehensive and user friendly.

The information categories in each table are either direct inputs or values calculated from these inputs. Explanations for each of the information categories are contained in the users manual. The references document the sources of data and provide additional information. The RVID 2 also includes sort and data search capabilities. The user can select a desired grouping of plants and then specify up to 14 information categories to search and list. This query is called the user-defined report. Features to allow updating of the information by users have not been included.

In addition to the detailed explanations given in the manual, "help" features have been included throughout the database. Also, at a public training session between the NRC and industry on May 15, 1997, the contractor presented a RVID 2 demonstration. The staff encourages comments from users regarding RVID 2. The database will be updated when sufficient amounts of new surveillance data, chemistry data, or fluence evaluations warrant a new revision.

The four RVID 2 diskettes can be downloaded from the RVID 2 home page which is linked to the NRC World Wide Web home page.

Minimum system requirements for running the RVID 2 are as follows:

• Computer - 80486/33 CPU
• RAM (Random Access Memory) - 8 megabytes (MB)
• Monitor - VGA (640 x 480 pixel resolution, 16 colors)
• Hard disk space - 8 MB
• Disk drives - 1.44 MB, 3-1/2"
• Mouse - Any mouse supported by Windows
• Printer - Windows™ True Type Font-compatible laser printer
• Microsoft Windows™ - Version 3.1 or later
• Microsoft Windows™ True Type Fonts "Arial" and "Symbol"

For better performance, an 80486/100 CPU or above and 16 MB of RAM are recommended.

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AL 95-03, Rev. 2
July 26, 1999
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This administrative letter requires no specific action or written response. If you have any questions about this letter, please call the contact listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

Disclaimer Notice

RVID 2 was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, or any of its employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability of responsibility for any third party's use, or the results of such use, of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed in this database, or represents that its use by such third party would not infringe privately owned rights.

/s/'d by   Ledyard B. Marsh, Chief Events Assessment, Generic Communications and Non-Power Reactors Branch Division of Regulatory Improvement Programs Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Contact:	Andrea Valentin, NRR 301-415-2735 E-mail: Andrea.Valentin@nrc.gov
Attachment:	List of Recently Issued NRC Administrative Letters

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Attachment
AL 95-03, Rev 2
July 26, 1999
Page 1 of 1

 

LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED
NRC ADMINISTRATIVE LETTERS

Administrative No.	Subject	Date of Letter Issuance	Issued to
99-02	Operating Reactor Licensing Action Estimates	6/3/99	All power reactor licensees
99-01	Reorganization of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation	4/9/99	All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for reactor facilities
95-05, Rev. 1	Revisions to Staff Guidance for Implementing NRC Policy on Enforcement Discretion	2/19/99	All holders of operating licenses for nuclear reactors
98-10	Dispositioning of Technical Specifications That Are Insufficient To Assure Plant Safety	12/29/98	All holders of operating licenses
98-09	Priority for NRR Review of Risk-Informed Licensing Actions	10/30/98	All holders of operating licenses for nuclear power reactors
98-08	Availability of Revised NRC Form 3, "Notice to Employees" and Closure of NRC Walnut Creek Field Office	10/09/98	All NRC licensees
98-07	Interim Suspension of the Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance (SALP) Program	10/02/98	All holders of operating licenses for nuclear power reactors

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OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

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